MBC Weathercaster Kim Ga-young Exits 'Goal Diggers' Amid Controversy
Kim Ga-young, a weathercaster for MBC, has announced her departure from the show 'Goal Diggers' (골 때리는 그녀들). According to SBS on February 21, she expressed her decision to step down, stating, "I can no longer cause harm." This comes just over 20 days after she was identified as one of the alleged perpetrators of workplace bullying against fellow MBC weathercaster Oh Yo-anna (1996–2024). Following public outcry for her to leave the show, SBS responded cautiously, saying, "Nothing has been decided yet. We are waiting for the results of the MBC investigation committee."
On January 31, the YouTube channel 'Garo Sero Research Institute' released a video titled "Oh Yo-anna's Family: 'The Real Killers are Kim Ga-young and This Person.'" The family claimed, "There are misunderstandings. The real demons are this person and Kim Ga-young," asserting that while others openly bullied Oh, Kim and another individual did so covertly. They also noted that while some bullies attended the funeral, Kim and the other accused did not. Reports indicate that Kim was part of a group chat that insulted the deceased. All four alleged perpetrators have closed their social media comment sections and have not made public statements.
Despite the backlash, Kim continued to appear on MBC's 'News Desk' and the radio show 'Good Morning FM with Tae-hee,' facing criticism. Ultimately, she stepped down from 'Good Morning FM,' and her role as a promotional ambassador for Paju was also terminated. The YouTube content 'Gun Seol Da Bang' mentioned that they are monitoring the situation as the season comes to an end, while negative comments have also targeted her boyfriend, producer Pidok, on social media.
Oh Yo-anna passed away in September of last year, with her obituary being revealed three months later. A 17-page suicide note was found on her phone, detailing her experiences of workplace bullying. The family has filed a civil lawsuit against one of the identified bullies in the Seoul Central District Court. Recently, MBC established an investigation committee four months after Oh's death, appointing attorney Chae Yang-hee from Hae Myung Law Firm as the chair and attorney Jin Jin from Barun Law LLC as an external member.
